My Kozo Hiraoka Pensylvania switcher locomotive project.
- Thread starter B-Train
- Start date
After, columns, bolsters and the complete tender trucks assembly :
Here is the jig used for soldering columns parts:
You can see here the slope on upper and lower bolsters:
Arch bars bending and drilling:
Complete trucks:
Please just tell me if I put too much pics or details or if you want any missing infos !
Here is the jig used for soldering columns parts:
You can see here the slope on upper and lower bolsters:
Arch bars bending and drilling:
Complete trucks:
Please just tell me if I put too much pics or details or if you want any missing infos !
The plan were originally published in the american Steam magasine in imperial units, but I suspect, because of the many odd sizes used sometimes that they were originally metrics. But every stock used for starting pieces and mains pieces themselves, as threading, are imperials, though not always easy to find... We have to remember that M. Hiraoka is Japanese and published all his texts and drawings in English, in the 80s, and without any computer and CAD!
My metal for this project come from some machine shops in my area, some parts are from scrap yard, some others from my own stock, but it’s not finished yet and future pieces may be more difficult to find by these ways!
You are right when you said that there’s a lot of soldered parts in Kozo’s project. I usually use silver sticks and map. When no heat is involved (like boiler or heater parts) I use sometimes « high strength » soft silver solder (not plumber silver bearing solder...) with regular propane, which is less costly and easier to control, because the flux is apart. Don’t remember the brand and specs though, but can find them if it could be useful.
Hope it answer to your question and thanks for your interest !
p.s. I apologize for the curious wording of my writings, as you can imagine, English is not my first language
.
My metal for this project come from some machine shops in my area, some parts are from scrap yard, some others from my own stock, but it’s not finished yet and future pieces may be more difficult to find by these ways!
You are right when you said that there’s a lot of soldered parts in Kozo’s project. I usually use silver sticks and map. When no heat is involved (like boiler or heater parts) I use sometimes « high strength » soft silver solder (not plumber silver bearing solder...) with regular propane, which is less costly and easier to control, because the flux is apart. Don’t remember the brand and specs though, but can find them if it could be useful.
Hope it answer to your question and thanks for your interest !
p.s. I apologize for the curious wording of my writings, as you can imagine, English is not my first language
.
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Very nice work! Thanks for posting those great pictures. Your English is very good, way better than my French for sure!
Thanks a lot John! The pleasure is for me
! They were taken more for my own remembering, so I’m never sure if they arouse interest since they don’t always show the fabricating process.Usually I can have a conversation in English and I read it fluently, but for writing google translate is a good friend
, helping me mostly to find words I need. I also know that sometimes it doesn’t give exactly the meaning I want, sometimes also completely off... Another language error that I make is to say a direct translation of a french expression that doesn’t make sens in English...So, if I seem to say curious thing by moment...
Nice build. You have done a lot of work so far. Yes, that's why I was asking about the SI/IMP plans. I heard there were 'redrawn' IMP plans. That must have be an undertaking. Its not just converting mm to inch, all the nominal stock dimensions are different, fasteners are different, many critical dimensions must be fixed regardless... I think I know a little bit about that headache
The reason I was asking about torch is seems like a lot of model engineering guys are using Sievert brand (propane). I found a distributor in the USA, but might actually be less expensive getting from Europe where its made & more popular. They aren't exactly cheap, but I guess if you need the tool...
https://www.sievert.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Sievert-Pro-86_ENG.pdf
I don't have a lot of silver/soldering to do so just getting by with a smaller pencil style torch with a small flame that attaches to my regular MAP gas bottle.
Whats the deal on steam boilers these days? I hear things like they have to pass a pressure test by 'qualified people' and its more stringent than years ago when you could do yourself or testing could occur at a club level. But admittedly this is coming from UK forums, maybe they are more stringent or less clubs? I read some guys send their boilers to specialist companies to have the major parts copper TIG welded & tested.
You are lucky if you have local suppliers of metal around you, at least when it comes to small quantities & diverse alloys. We are not so fortunate here. My project uses a lot of aluminum which isn't so bad to source here for most sizes, but even so I find I can get brass, bronze, specific steel alloys net cheaper from OLM. Unfortunately not much we can do about shipping cost. Metal is heavy & it has to be transported. But OLM reduces the cost a bit for Canadians & we don't get the typical UPS extra fees. I've used an intermediate border shipper on occasion but its not always worth it depending on the weight/value. At least I can acquire small sticks over time as I need it & spreads the $ pain.
https://www.onlinemetals.com/
Speedy Metals in USA I find to be a bit more expensive, but a big downside is they do not reduce UPS at all so expect the full added (customs processing) fees
http://www.speedymetals.com/
The reason I was asking about torch is seems like a lot of model engineering guys are using Sievert brand (propane). I found a distributor in the USA, but might actually be less expensive getting from Europe where its made & more popular. They aren't exactly cheap, but I guess if you need the tool...
https://www.sievert.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Sievert-Pro-86_ENG.pdf
I don't have a lot of silver/soldering to do so just getting by with a smaller pencil style torch with a small flame that attaches to my regular MAP gas bottle.
Whats the deal on steam boilers these days? I hear things like they have to pass a pressure test by 'qualified people' and its more stringent than years ago when you could do yourself or testing could occur at a club level. But admittedly this is coming from UK forums, maybe they are more stringent or less clubs? I read some guys send their boilers to specialist companies to have the major parts copper TIG welded & tested.
You are lucky if you have local suppliers of metal around you, at least when it comes to small quantities & diverse alloys. We are not so fortunate here. My project uses a lot of aluminum which isn't so bad to source here for most sizes, but even so I find I can get brass, bronze, specific steel alloys net cheaper from OLM. Unfortunately not much we can do about shipping cost. Metal is heavy & it has to be transported. But OLM reduces the cost a bit for Canadians & we don't get the typical UPS extra fees. I've used an intermediate border shipper on occasion but its not always worth it depending on the weight/value. At least I can acquire small sticks over time as I need it & spreads the $ pain.
https://www.onlinemetals.com/
Speedy Metals in USA I find to be a bit more expensive, but a big downside is they do not reduce UPS at all so expect the full added (customs processing) fees
http://www.speedymetals.com/
What alloy are the wheels made from?
Oh, and I bet 97% of us are 'self learning' machinists, me included!
Hi!
In this particular case transfer between Si/IMP was very well made, it’s more some curious dimensions that sound some bells. For example some 64” of an inch occasionally are very near metric standard... But all in all it’s very well made!
I also heard about Sievert stuff that seem very good, but till now I were satisfied by my Benzomatic. I also bought a "mag torch" kit who is working with map with three differents size tips, but not impress by it. I also read very good comments about the « easy flow » silver solder but can’t get it anywhere.
About the boiler I’m not in touch with the most recent regulations but some years ago it had to be certified by the club where you want to run your machine. Don’t know if it change since that but I obviously will make mine before anyway. I made it on my boiler, will be a similar setup for the loco, but as I can foresee now, it’s not for tomorrow...
I also bought some specifics items from OLM although i have some "suppliers". The problem is that machine shop they sell you "by weight" their overstocked but don’t always have exactly what you need, and metal scrap yard don’t always knows exactly what their stock is... We also have some commercial metal suppliers but they only sell by long bar, which is way too expensive for hobbyist, for me at least.
The tender wheels are a good example: it’s steel, easy machinable but no idea about their exact type! It’s another thing for the locomotive wheels, but I’ll talk about them later.
In this particular case transfer between Si/IMP was very well made, it’s more some curious dimensions that sound some bells. For example some 64” of an inch occasionally are very near metric standard... But all in all it’s very well made!
I also heard about Sievert stuff that seem very good, but till now I were satisfied by my Benzomatic. I also bought a "mag torch" kit who is working with map with three differents size tips, but not impress by it. I also read very good comments about the « easy flow » silver solder but can’t get it anywhere.
About the boiler I’m not in touch with the most recent regulations but some years ago it had to be certified by the club where you want to run your machine. Don’t know if it change since that but I obviously will make mine before anyway. I made it on my boiler, will be a similar setup for the loco, but as I can foresee now, it’s not for tomorrow...
I also bought some specifics items from OLM although i have some "suppliers". The problem is that machine shop they sell you "by weight" their overstocked but don’t always have exactly what you need, and metal scrap yard don’t always knows exactly what their stock is... We also have some commercial metal suppliers but they only sell by long bar, which is way too expensive for hobbyist, for me at least.
The tender wheels are a good example: it’s steel, easy machinable but no idea about their exact type! It’s another thing for the locomotive wheels, but I’ll talk about them later
.
Here you go. I used ez-flo to silver solder the trunnions to my cannons. Good stuff.
https://www.westernmetal.ca/soldering-category/ez-flo-45
No where near your class of modeling but we did fire her. 50cal.
https://www.westernmetal.ca/soldering-category/ez-flo-45
No where near your class of modeling but we did fire her. 50cal.
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Thanks so much for that info, I will need it soon. I didn’t look for it anymore, I’m very happy to find it!
And let me say that many factors are implied in modelist project. Quality, precision, esthetic, efficiency and so many more... I suppose we all have them in some proportion but efficiency is for sure not mine. While I made these parts, others made a complete locomotive, others piece of art knives, some create complex mechanics, etc.. Making real fire cannon is a special domain itself, needing also knowledge of other kind, and I’m no near that class of modeling!
So, thanks a lot !
And let me say that many factors are implied in modelist project. Quality, precision, esthetic, efficiency and so many more... I suppose we all have them in some proportion but efficiency is for sure not mine
. While I made these parts, others made a complete locomotive, others piece of art knives, some create complex mechanics, etc.. Making real fire cannon is a special domain itself, needing also knowledge of other kind, and I’m no near that class of modeling! So, thanks a lot !
Chicken lights
Forum Pony Express Driver
It’s off topic-Thanks a lot John! The pleasure is for me
Usually I can have a conversation in English and I read it fluently, but for writing google translate is a good friend
So, if I seem to say curious thing by moment...
I find it odd that many Quebecers don’t speak English.
Although I wonder if they think I’m odd I don’t speak much French.
We have quite a few prairie boys on here , I wonder if they run into language barriers as well?
Again, off topic, I don’t think I understand the stubbornness to retain local culture and customs by keeping French alive
Perhaps we can discuss this elsewhere?
